


Performing with Grace

by ADashOfStarshine (ADashOfInsanity)



Series: The Adventures of Niki [2]
Category: Magic the Gathering, Original Work
Genre: Assorted Short Stories, Bondage, Clothing Kink, Dungeons & Dragons Character Backstory, M/M, Master/Pet, Sex Toys, ratings vary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2020-12-27 21:36:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21125624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADashOfInsanity/pseuds/ADashOfStarshine
Summary: A collection of short stories about Niki, a mischievous Rakdos acrobat who works at The Chalice Theatre, one of Ravnica's most exclusive debauchery clubs.[Follows on from "Falling with Style", helpful but not essential to understand these stories]M rated - Chapters 1,2,3,5 and 6E rated - Chapter 4





	1. A Man in Uniform

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niki visits his long-time friend - the tattoo artist Roxy. Roxy's seldom-seen little brother is home from active duty and proves surprisingly familiar.

_“Day off, it’s a day off. Too much sleep, in my bed. Out we go. Pastry time_.”

The day off song wasn’t particularly innovative or long. However, it got the message across as Niki laced up his boots and grabbed a raincoat for the deluge that was currently hammering on his windows. He’d been working so late last night, it was hardly a surprise that he’d slept in until noon. Like everyone else at the Chalice, he had to do his mandatory two days of dining room service. Yet on a Friday evening, the job was particularly exhausting. Everyone insisted on arriving long before the show started, and lingered way after it finished. This was very good business for the theatre, but absolutely dull for anyone who’d rather be on the stage. There wasn’t even anyone about to help Niki pass the time. A distinct lack of hot patrons waiting to catch his eye. Not a single face to get excited about. One man had tried to repeatedly touch his thigh without his permission, but Niki had swiftly driven one heeled foot into his crotch and changed his mind about that.

So, now he was off, he was dearly looking forward to some entertainment. Mainly, some decent conversation after he’d had to be so polite all of yesterday. He stopped by his favourite bakery on the way to the Bladebrand, picking up a tray of pastries to share once he got there. The little tattoo parlour wasn’t open on Saturdays – that was when Roxy conducted her other business upstairs. However, he knew the place as well as the back of his hand, having lived there for the best part of a year. He slipped round the back, clambered up a set of noisy metal stairs, before ringing the doorbell on the building’s private entrance. Some days he wished he’d kept his key, but Roxy would only find that suspicious.

There was the sound of shuffling footsteps from behind the door. The clank of multiple chains being unfastened, followed by three solid thunks, preceded the opening of the door. Roxy stood in the doorway, dressed in a leather bra and a pair of harem-style leggings that looked far too big for her wiry frame. Her torso was covered in ink, from the eye drawn dead-centre over her breasts to the shading about her neck and elbows to make her look like she had the ball-joints of a wooden doll. She had her signature chandelier earrings in, but apart from that, she was surprisingly jewellery-free.

“Afternoon Miss Roxy!” Niki greeted, “Not interrupting anything am I?”

She grinned.

“Oh, no, just finished clearing up after the last one. Come in. Come in.”

Niki closed the door behind him, locked up for her and found his way into the kitchen. It was bigger than his at home, but that wasn’t saying much. You could just about squeeze two people in here, but you had to be careful not to brain someone with a cupboard door.

“I see you’ve brought the goods,” Roxy commented, “You want tea to go with that? Coffee, apple juice?” 

“Apple juice please.” Niki took this an invitation to go into the fridge and find the carton himself whilst Roxy put the kettle on. By the time they both had drinks, Roxy took two plates out of a cupboard and ferried him off into the living room.

“ _ So, _ ” Niki began, “How is work Miss Roxy?”

“Pretty damn good,” she replied, “Best it’s been in years. If you’ll excuse my lack of modesty.”

“Always,” Niki replied. He curled up in his favourite armchair – the one in front of the radiator.

“Did a big piece for a guy at the Falling Fire Club,” Roxy continued, “And I mean big, the guy was human but must have had ogre blood in him. Complete back and arms job, feathers mostly, a bit of bone detailing. Looked pretty sweet if I do say so myself.”

She tossed her fringe out of her face as she sat on the sofa.

“That must have been a lot of sessions,” Niki commented. She nodded, taking a swig of tea.

“Five,” she said, “Made a tidy sum out of that lot. Enough to get a good haul next time I pop down to Copper Alley.”

Niki let out a sigh of jealousy.

“Ugh, I want to go so bad,” he whined, “But it’s so far away and I’m running out of space in my room. Madame Director won’t buy anything new until she does next season’s budget.”

“I thought one of the inventors was heads over heels for you?” said Roxy.

“Yeah,” Niki sighed, “But he’s so busy these days I hardly ever see him. Wish he'd come by and idolise me a bit more.”

“Of course you do,” Roxy chuckled, “And how’s your work going? Got your roles for next season yet?”

Niki sat up a little straighter in his excitement.

“Not officially,” he said, in a devious whisper that had her leaning in for the impending gossip.

“But Madame Director may have let a few things slip. A few little choice words here and there.”

“You know I don’t like being teased,” Roxy reminded him. Her stare had absolutely no power over him, even though it drew obedience out of so many others. Niki merely giggled at her attempt.

“Well, next season,” Niki continued, “Our big production will be “Locks, Keys and Latches.””

Roxy clapped her hands together in delight.

“Gods yes! It’s been like twenty years since I’ve seen a good production of L.K.L.! I remember the last time I saw it, Fresh out of art school and my girlfriend at the time was a hot blonde with a passion for pain. I remember we went home and tried to reenact the scene with the candle wax. Messy, let me tell you. Are you doing the abridged or full length version?”

“Full-length,” Niki confirmed, which made her clap again and squirm in her chair in delight.

“ _ And _ ,” he added, “Guess what part I’ll have.”

She paused for a moment, one hand tracing her chin as she searched her thoughts for who she felt he’d play best.

“Hm, maybe the Confession Boy? Or the Young Pontiff.” she tried, “I’d love to see you as Faerie Blue though.”

“Well, you’re in luck Miss Roxy,” said Niki, with a triumphant grin, “Faerie Blue is sitting right in front of you.”

“Fuck yes!” She leapt up and gave him two high fives, he had to jump a little out of his seat to reach her.

“You’re going up in the world Niki!” she exclaimed, “Gods, you’re going to love being Faerie Blue. Especially if they’re basing the costumes off the original. You do sinful things with silk, let me tell you.”

She looked as thrilled as he felt when he’d first found out. He’d already read the script for Locks, Keys and Latches several times through. Fairy Blue’s adventures through the various unlocked windows and keyholes of Ravnica were going to be fantastic for sure.

“So that’s next season,” Roxy said, “What’s going on now? Anything happen since last I saw you?”

“Same old,” Niki shrugged, “I learned three new solo pieces, oh, and I have a new repeat customer.”

Roxy made an ‘ooh’ sound and leaned in closer.

“I thought you weren’t taking new customers,” she said, “If you mean what I think you do.”

“Oh I do,” Niki replied with a smirk, “And it’s not that I’m  _ refusing _ to take customers. It’s just… I raised my standards. A lot. But this one,  _ gods _ , I like the ones who are finding their feet and want to try out new things.”

“Give it to me in three words,” Roxy ordered. Niki, who was used to her summaries by now, didn’t miss a beat.

“Handsome, Big, Restraints.”

Roxy laughed her usual cackle.

“On you or on him?”

“Oh on me,” said Niki, smiling into his coffee, “He was very excited to learn what they were all for. You’d think a Boros would be bored of cuffs by now, but it was like he’d discovered a whole new world of chains and leather. I let him play, as long as he gets around to it eventually.”

“Ah shame,” said Roxy, “If it was on him, I’d ask you point him in my direction if he wanted a  _ thorough _ schooling.”

Niki pouted, pretending to look disappointed.

“And have you steal my clients Miss Roxy? The shame!” His pout turned into a devious smile.

“I like Legion officers, especially the guildmages. They always act so scandalised until you’re in their robes  _ and _ their underwear. This one was part of a group at first. A lads’ night out at the theatre, but my eyes were only for him. His friends were  _ so  _ disappointed. Nothing quite like spreading disorder in the ranks, just as Lord Rakdos intended.”

“Amen,” Roxy agreed, “Love a man or woman in uniform. Love to get them out of it and set them free. I must tell you about the Azorius errand girl I had in here the other day. I know women aren’t your thing, but her curses? Inspirational.”

It was Niki’s turn to go ‘ooh’.

“You must share!” he insisted, “What sort of swears does an Azorius use?”

“Well,” Roxy began, however she was interrupted by the sound of someone thumping their way down the hallway. It sounded like bare feet, large ones, were rampaging up and down the corridor. Niki glanced at Roxy, who merely rolled her eyes.

“Neil’s currently back,” she swiftly explained, before turning to the door and raising her voice to a shout.

“Good morning Little Bro!” she called, “I was worried you were going to sleep the whole afternoon away!”

“’m tired,” came the return call. Though she hadn’t mentioned him, Niki could tell that if Neil was back in this part of the precinct, it meant that a certain bloodwitch hadn’t been seen in a while.

“Well, we’ve got a guest,” Roxy replied, “So make sure you’re wearing a shirt or something.”

“Or don’t!” Niki called after her. Roxy shot him a withering look.

“And trousers!” she added.

Niki pouted.

“ _ Niki _ ,” she sighed, “This is my baby brother. Can I trust you to, well,  _ not _ , just for a little bit?”

“Is he still your baby brother if he’s a fully grown adult?” Niki asked, raising his hands defensively, “Only child, got to ask.”

She nodded vehemently.

“Yes,” she continued, “You can be thirty-seven and still be a baby brother. So just, don’t hit on him. Ignore everything we just said about men in uniform and just…don’t.”

“For you, Miss Roxy, I won’t,” Niki said with an air of utmost solemnity.

She leant back into her chair with a sigh.

“Neil, you decent?” she called, “We’ve got pastries.”

There was the sound of heavy footfalls once more. They got louder before the door to the living room opened with a creak. Standing in the doorway was a man in the robes of a Legion Guildmage, with a serious case of bedhead. He wasn’t wearing any of the usual armour over his robes, or his helmet. Judging by how wonky his tabard was, he had probably just thrown the robes on to make himself presentable. However, that wasn’t nearly the most striking thing about Roxy’s little brother. Neither were his chiselled features, his sandy-blood hair, his neatly-kept sideburns, or his large muscular stature. No, Niki knew the most impressive things about this man could be summarised in three words. Handsome. Big. Restraints.

He clamped one hand over his mouth to stop the sudden outburst of giggles that escaped his chest unbidden. Neil took one look at Niki, glanced at his sister, before fixing his gaze straight back onto Niki. His handsome features grew pinker by the second. He opened his mouth as if to greet Niki, closed it again, and then bit his lip. His eyes however didn’t seem to be able to leave Niki alone.

Roxy was staring at them both as if wondering what had possessed the two men. Niki fought back his giggles to the point he could speak, managing a sultry:

“Hello Officer, fancy seeing you here.”

Neil swallowed hard. Roxy looked between them for only a moment longer before getting to her feet.

“Neil,” she said gently, “Neil look at me.”

He did as he was told.

“Neil,” she said again, “What the fuck.”

Niki burst out giggling again.

“Shut up Niki!”

Niki shut up.

Roxy focused her attention back on her brother. Who was clearly still very tired and not ready for the scolding he was about to receive.

“I-,” he stammered, “I’m a full grown man Sis. I went to the Chalice for a boy’s night out and-and… Well, he’s really hot. And flexible. Why wouldn’t I?”

Roxy let out a sigh.

“I’m not angry,” she said, “I’m just disappointed in you.”

He seemed to shrink a little where he stood. However Roxy wasn’t done yet.

“Disappointed that you felt you had to go somewhere else to learn about proper restraint practice,” she continued, “Disappointed you had to ask this little flirt to teach you how to tie him up properly! You do know what I do every Saturday don’t you Neil?”

He nodded, clearly taken aback by the direction this scolding had gone.

“Right,” Roxy exclaimed, with all the authority of a field-marshall, “You  _ will _ be coming with me Officer, and you  _ will _ be learning how to tie a man so well he begs for more. I have dolls for this. You know that. You’ve seen them. So next time you decide to spend a night with that minx, I better hear that you trussed him up, made him beg and fucked him so hard he couldn’t walk the next day!”

“Yes-Yes Ma’am!”

Niki wasn’t giggling anymore. His thoughts ran wild at what exactly she could be teaching him and when he might be feeling the effects of it.

“And Niki?” Roxy rounded on him, making him sit up straighter in his seat.

“Since he chose to, I’m not mad. But if I find out you’ve been anything less than good to him-“

“I would never,” Niki replied, sincerely this time. He got to his feet, feeling that this lesson was going to happen imminently and he should probably leave them to it.

“Nice to see you again Officer,” he winked at Neil, who blushed further, “I look forward to seeing what you’ve learned. Work hard now!”

“S-See you Niki,” Neil mumbled as Niki wandered towards the door, a slight skip in his step all the way.

“Thank you for the juice!” Niki said to Roxy, “Keep the pastries. Mr Neil’s going to need his energy if he comes by soon.”

He could tell he was testing Roxy’s patience, so made a swift exit, grinning to himself all the while. What a wonderful discovery for the weekend! Poor Mr Neil. Not the sharpest spike on the wheel, but gods he was attractive. At least he hadn’t told Roxy about his love for roleplay, that would certainly have done the poor man in. He got the impression that as a low rank guildmage, Neil didn’t get to do a lot of actual arresting, or prisoner interrogation. His questions weren’t particularly good so you could see why, but all Niki had to do was deny everything. And now Neil was getting tutelage from Roxy? Well, he was certainly looking forward to the next time he was arrested by this particular Officer. 


	2. A Little Declutter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niki has too much stuff in his too small flat. A declutter leads to a lot of thoughts about life.

Come to think of it, Niki had a lot of stuff.

He sat on his bed, looking at how much stuff wasn’t put properly on a shelf or tucked into a drawer. The series of boxes he called his flat really wasn’t coping with all his trophies and there were only so many he could keep in his dressing room. To his credit, all his clean clothes were hung up and all his dirty laundry was in the hamper. He barely ate at home, so there was no crockery lying about. The simple fact was that he had too many possessions for his living space. A sort out wasn’t exactly how he wanted to spend his day off, but the clutter was already annoying him.

He started with the floor. The tiny patch of space between bed and dresser was covered in a worn old rug he’d found in a charity shop two blocks away from work. As thrilling as it had been to finally get his own place, raising the funds for it had been exhausting. The highest paying clients were into some weird shit – especially when it came to roleplay. He certainly wasn’t going through all that again just for fancy furniture. The only thing he regretted about this place was the fact his bedroom was so small he could only fit a single bed in it. What if he wanted to take someone home with him? Ah well, maybe one day.

He stretched a little before leaning over and starting to pick bits off the rug. A hairbrush, a few zibs, a stray sock, all easy enough to put back in their rightful place. A little more challenging was the plush bird he found sticking out from under the bed. His clients kept gifting him soft toys! He loved presents, but did he look like the sort that needed  _ this  _ many plush animals? He’d been excited about the first dozen or so – his parents hadn’t allowed him such idle pleasures when he was growing up. However, after years of being given stuffed toys, the novelty had long worn off. He fetched a spare laundry bag and began to pile the less interesting plush inside. He’d drop them off at the charity shop later. He had no need for this many soft animals. His favourite ones were in his dressing room anyway. He liked to have them close by to snuggle when he napped on the sofa.

Scooting under the bed, he swiftly cleared the floor of everything he’d tucked under there. His bag stuffed with stray toys, he wiggled back out to consider what else could be organised. He put the bag in the wardrobe for now, tucking it underneath the orderly rail. His clothes, be they casual or costumes he personally owned, were well kept and arranged by colour and purpose. He had hanging pouches to keep his jewellery in and a small rack for shoes. When it came to appearances, he had everything where he wanted it. Now he just had to deal with the consequences of being simply _ so _ desirable.

He shut the closet before turning to the shelves that lined his bedroom walls. Having so little space meant most of his possessions ended up on the walls. The shelf beside the wardrobe contained a large mirror and various grooming supplies. Niki rearranged them a little but found them all too necessary to move. So, he focussed on the two shelves above his bed. The topmost shelf was for his most valuable trophies – gifts that he never intended to use but were nice to look at. Jewellery and trinkets he’d been given as gifts, as well as fun bits he’d won at various carnivals. His wealthiest clients tended to be Orzhov or Azorius, and their taste in jewellery truly didn’t suit him. However, most of it was extremely pretty to look at so it got pride of place in his room. Niki loved the idea that these men were so enamoured with him that they would shower him with gold and precious gemstones. This jewellery was proof of that, though admittedly, what didn’t fit on his shelf he sold to pay off his mortgage. Some of his clients bought jewellery so they could dress Niki up in it, as if draping him in finery was some sort of foreplay. He kept those items, labelled, in his dressing room just in case they came by and expected him to wear it again.

He displayed the jewellery he’d brought home on various soft toys, who now sat looking very regal on the top shelf. He had a cuddly version of Lord Rakdos that took pride of place in the centre. He’d crowned this plush effigy in an Orzhov headpiece made of coins and added a belt, which was in fact a Boros-themed bangle given to him by a stag party many years ago. Beside Tiny Rakdos was a rocket-shaped candle he’d won at a Steam Festival fair a few months ago. He wouldn’t light it in case it turned out to actually be a firework. However, it was nice to sniff every now and then. It was candyfloss flavoured.

The shelf below contained everything he wanted at arm’s reach. His library books occupied one half whilst the other contained a very different sort of gift. Other performers at the Chalice liked to call him fussy behind his back. Well, fussy was the kindest adjective bandied his way. When they really thought he couldn’t hear them, they went for ‘gold-digger’, ‘diva’ or even ‘snob’. He knew all this, because they kept forgetting he was an elf, and his hearing was far superior to their own. In his early years at the Chalice, when he was still trying to save enough money to put down a deposit on a flat, he’d been just as liberal with his sex work as any other lowly acrobat or chorus dancer. However, as he’d been promoted up the ranks, gaining everything from popularity to higher wages, he hadn’t needed to take so many clients. He could afford to be choosy. If he wanted to treat himself, fine. If there was a particularly gorgeous man interested, he was happy to indulge. However, he was comfortably saving up for a bigger flat, and he didn’t need to go out of his way for that. Those whisperers seem to think he was hurting his chances by only going for the richest and hottest clients. Niki couldn’t help but disagree. He wasn’t presenting himself as a gold-digger. He was presenting himself as  _ Exclusive _ . Rich patrons loved the idea that they were getting someone so very few others had access to. He was a rarity – an elf and one of the theatre’s leading men too. These wealthy patrons didn’t want a man anyone could screw. He was a luxury few could afford and they lapped that up so greedily he had a waiting list three pages long of people wanting to fuck him. He let them wait. Whilst he enjoyed his current clientele, he didn’t need to be known primarily as a rich man’s boytoy. He was an actor and a cagewitch first and foremost. Only a boytoy when he was really feeling it. Which led to a little pent up frustration sometimes. That’s where his special client came in.

Niki had one repeat customer who wasn’t fabulously wealthy. He wasn’t part of the usual guilds either. If a client wasn’t Orzhov or Azorius, they were most likely Boros. However this gentleman was undeniably Izzet. Many years ago, Niki had saved Sparkmage Glynn from a non-consensual marriage to a Pontiff’s daughter. The poor man had taken some time to recover, but when he returned to the neighbourhood, he was eager to thank Niki in any way he knew how. It just so happened that Glynn worked in the most wondrous Izzet neighbourhood of all. – Copper Alley. Ask any debauchery club professional and they’d tell you that Copper Alley was a veritable paradise for the three big S’s – Stage Lighting, Set Mechanics and Sex Toys. It was a street dedicated to electronics, named after the vast amounts of copper wiring that spanned the place. But most importantly, to Niki anyway, it was Mr Glynn’s workplace and he was more than happy to part-pay his way into Niki’s company with fantastic new inventions. Most of said devices now sat on Niki’s shelf in all their colourful phallic glory. Perfect for when he needed something but didn’t have the energy to deal with customers right then. Did he have too many? Was it possible to have too many? Surely not. He rearranged them in a pleasing fashion and called it a day.

Niki sat on his bed to survey what difference he’d made to his room. Well, it was tidier, but apart from that… He pouted and folded his arms as he realised how little had changed. All he really did here was sleep and get ready for work. There wasn’t enough room to do anything fun… And people wondered why he napped in his dressing room rather than going home? With a sigh, he pulled out his satchel from down the side of the bed and went and grabbed the bag of toys from the wardrobe. Ah well, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t find his own fun elsewhere. The charity shop was just beyond his favourite bath house after all. Who knew how many posh young men he could scandalise there? The Orzhov gentry truly never knew what to do once he’d arrived. 


	3. An Unexpected Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Dimir contact drops by announced. However it's hard to be mad with such a beneficial arrangement.
> 
> The character of Shiv belongs to WaterSeraphim 

Niki yawned loudly into his bloodstained gloves, rolling his shoulders as they celebrated their release from the great set of mechanical wings they bore on stage. Lily from Costuming had taken his wings and his wig before releasing him for the night. Now he wandered the corridors of the Chalice Theatre, dressed in nothing but a skimpy Firemane Angel uniform and a smile.

He’d stopped by the kitchens on the way, in the hopes of swiping something before employee meals got made. He’d received a caramel apple for his efforts and told to bugger off before the next show started. Long gone, the apple had been insufficient to invigorate him after such a long show. Luckily, he was never short of treats in his dressing room and that was where he was headed now. The area assigned to personal dressing rooms was certainly one of the more luxurious places only accessible to staff. The Chalice Theatre always thrilled its guests, offering every sinful luxury zinos could buy. Yet backstage for staff? Ugh, group dressing rooms were worse than cheap public bathhouses. All sweat and bodies and not in the fun way. Life was infinitely better now he had his own dressing room. It was definitely worth the time spent sponging blood out of the carpet. Yawning once more, he unlocked the door with his name painted on it in swirling black letters. There was a satisfyingly solid thunk from the lock and he went inside, already unbuttoning his costume in the prospect of changing into something far more comfortable.

It was an excellent plan. 

If someone wasn’t already in there.

He was about to summon his blade when suddenly he caught sight of a familiar crow sitting amongst his trophies. In the split second he had to choose, he opted instead to seize one of the soft toys sat on the shelf beside the door. He let it fly with a cry of:

“ _ Rude _ !”

The plush fox flew across the room and smacked the intruder in the back of the head. The ‘stranger’ took the blow without even flinching. The toy bouncing on the floor with a squeak, before tumbling out of sight under the costume rail.

“You know, gentlemen are supposed to knock,” Niki informed the man sat before his dressing table.

“They don’t just let themselves in. Sooo rude.”

He crossed the room in three strides, before collapsing back onto the sofa, sending a few more plush animals tumbling onto the floor. Using one armrest as a pillow, he sprawled out, one foot on the carpet, the other somewhere in the back cushions. If the spy cared to turn in his direction, or glance his way in the mirror, he would probably get an eyeful of his white lace knickers – tastefully embroidered with the Boros insignia to treat the front row. Consider the front row’s survival rate, they deserved a nice view before they perished.

“For what do I owe the pleasure Sir?” Niki asked, “You’re  _ never  _ here just for my oh so charming company.”

“Well, Nyx is here for your inexhaustible supply of jerky,” Shiv commented, gesturing to his crow who must have indeed found one of Niki’s stashes amongst his collection of gifts. 

Niki pouted.

“Which we will replace, eventually,” Shiv continued, “But I know the meat isn’t all that’s  _ inexhaustible _ around here.”

That was more like it! Though Niki wasn’t going to give it to him that easily.

“Oh, what are you suggesting Sir?” he gasped, touching fingertips to painted lips in a mimicry of being scandalised, “You’ll find no one but angels here. And what sort of divine being would give up his guild secrets so easily? Oh what horror Sir! I’d break my chaste angelic oath!”

“Your chaste angelic oath?” Shiv chuckled, “You wouldn’t dare.” 

He got to his feet, the swivel chair creaking a little as it turned with his movement. Niki knew full well that the shapeshifter could just take what he wanted out of his mind. However, having Shiv in there wasn’t nearly as exciting as when Lord Rakdos had done it. And besides, when did he ever keep secrets anyway? Shiv had wanted to know who from the Legion was on the theatre’s payroll, and who their commanding officer was. Knowledge only found in Madame Director’s well-guarded office. However, Niki knew exactly when Madame Director and Ms Beth were busy downstairs and how long they’d be. Plenty of time not to trip Madame Director’s booby traps and find the right ledger. The secrets were all waiting for Sir, but Niki wasn’t one to spill without a hand on him at least.

“But,” Shiv continued, now at the foot of the sofa, “I don’t think this angel has been chaste for quite some time.”

“Sir!” Niki exclaimed, breathy and seemingly-outraged at this accusation. Shiv nudged Niki’s leg in a gesture to get him to budge up. When he didn’t, he sat on Niki’s leg, making him yelp and sit up, pulling himself free from being crushed. Pouting again, Niki decided it was about time for some revenge for all the rudeness he had been presented with today. As soon as Shiv looked remotely comfortable, he slid into his lap with a cat’s grace, blood-stained white gloves tracing the stubble on his cheeks.

“I like this face Sir,” he purred, “Though it’s going to take more than a handsome smile to make me-“

He made an excitable noise as he felt one hand creep up the back of his skirt and into his Boros-lace panties. He heard Nyx the crow take wing, no doubt not in the mood to watch her master fuck Niki in his dressing room again.

“I have a proposition for you, beautiful,” Shiv chuckled, “One name, one finger.”

Niki gave a shudder at being called beautiful and a low whimper at his honestly wonderful idea.

“You’re going to…need more fingers,” he managed, as he felt the man take a palm full of ass, his eyes fixed on the flush now spread across Niki’s face and down towards his one exposed nipple.

“And-and no creepy shapeshifter stuff!” Niki exclaimed, remembering whose lap he was currently in.

Shiv chuckled,low in his throat as he stuck his free hand down the side of the sofa, towards the bottle he’d left there last time.

“When you’re done with fingers,” he suggested, “Give me the commander, and I’ll make it more than worth your while. Well, if you’ve been a good boy for me and actually  _ have _ their name of course?”

He’d said the magic words. Niki surged forward to kiss him, all thoughts of oaths forgotten as he cupped his face and licked those smirking lips open. He let out a low moan as he felt the hand on his ass tighten its grip, kneading one soft cheek whilst Shiv propped the bottle on the arm of the chair, letting the contents pour over his free hand. Niki parted for breath, meeting his gaze with a look that was as far from chaste as Sunhome was from the ocean.

“Why would I ever disappoint your Sir?” he cooed, “Believe me, what the Legion gets up to here is so delightfully scandalous _ ,  _ you’ll be  _ begging _ me for more.”


	4. A Man Obsessed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niki gets a surprise visit from one of his more regular clients.  
Rated E for anal sex, sex toys and Master/Pet roleplay.

There was a light tap on Niki’s dressing room door.

He jumped to his feet, loathe to be caught napping in the middle of the day. However, waiting was exhausting and you got some real weirdos first thing in the morning.

“Coming!”

He unlocked the door with a solid metallic thunk. 

“Hi Eddie,”

Eddie the receptionist was waiting for him in the middle of the corridor, clipboard pinned under one arm, a large thermos flask in the other hand. He looked a little wind-swept. His cardigan was askew and he had a face full of fringe. It had been a bit blustery this morning but Niki hadn’t been outside since the early hours.

“Have you just got in?” he asked.

Eddie nodded.

“Yeah, and they’ve already got me on urgent errands.” Eddie shifted the clipboard under his arm, trying to push it along so he could take it in his unoccupied hand. Niki stepped forward and took it from him, to save him the effort. The contents were unsurprising – another client-performer consent list. On the first page was a list of dos and don’ts for the club employee, where the client signed their agreement. The second page was filled with dos and don’ts for the client, with any special instructions on the service they’d like to receive. Niki was about to give it a good read when Eddie interrupted his concentration.

“We know it’s a bit last minute,” he said, “But Madame Director fast tracked this client. According to her, he’s offering big cash so she’s eager to give him the best. I know you like more time, but he’s on your priority list, and well, he’s downstairs right now. Says he’ll pay you out of any production you’re in to get you this afternoon.”

Oh really? Someone must be desperate to see him. Niki couldn’t help but feel flattered.

“How long have I got?” he asked, “And does that mean I’m out of wait duty?”

“Half an hour and yes,” said Eddie, “He’s currently having a meal in his room. You’re going to want to read up. Good luck.”

“Thank you Eddie.”

He gave the receptionist a sugary-sweet smile that had the man flushing up to his ears before hastening back towards the lifts. Niki closed the door and went immediately to his dressing table. Half an hour wasn’t long, but luckily, the set up wasn't too elaborate. Putting the clipboard on the table, he extracted the second sheet of paper where all the instruction lay. Now free of its bindings, he was finally able to see the client's name at the top of the paper - Lyov Vavra

Well, wasn’t that the best thing he’d seen all day?

Lyov Vavra was a Merchant Prince of the Orzhov – which was a title they apparently gave you when you had all the money of aristocracy, but none of the family history. In fact, Lyov Vavra was a bit lacking in the family department. – He'd lost them all to a Gruul rampage through the family estate and being the sole survivor. Not the best way to amass a fortune, but he had one never the less. He was now the owner of a dozen increasingly successful businesses. He traded in gold and luxury goods - which made him very popular amongst his fellow Orzhov. Whilst Niki certainly enjoyed his wealth, there were plenty of other reasons why Lyov Vavra had become one of his favourite regulars.

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, he was fantastic in bed. Very gentle compared to most of his other clients, but gentle in a way that made it all the more thrilling when he wasn’t. He was affectionate, as if he adored nothing more than unravelling you with pleasure and bending you to his every whim. For many first-time clients he had to put on act, especially when they weren’t quite as promising as he’d first thought. However, Mr Vavra had swept him away, and the sex always worth the inevitable soreness the following day.

Orzhov customers were impossible to put an age to, but if Niki had to guess, he’d say mid-thirties for Mr Vavra. He had the body of an athlete, having spent much of his time pre-tragedy competing in track and field. Niki had never associated the Orzhov with sports, but there was likely much he didn’t know about other guilds. All he cared about was the raw strength and power in that muscular body. Mr Vavra knew he was big, especially compared to Niki, and he was thoughtful enough to prepare him well. He’d probably spend this evening in a little pain, but what was an afternoon of fun without a few aches to remember it by?

Niki reached the bottom of the page where he saw the specific instructions Mr Vavra had given - written in his own incredibly neat handwriting. It was much like his last few visits, Master and Slave,, and Mr Vavra had left an outfit for him to wear in the room where they would be spending the afternoon. This was all normal. Mr Vavra was one of the clients who liked to dress him up. He followed the ‘less is more’ tradition, but what he wrapped around Niki was undoubtedly expensive and always glittered very prettily. Niki gave a little shiver of anticipation. This was exactly what he needed after such a long morning of wait duty. Mr Vavra had booked him for an entire afternoon slot. _Gods,_ was he looking forward to this.

The very last handwritten line intrigued him however.

** _“We will start assuming you have committed an action that has displeased me. I will punish you appropriately and teach you true loyalty.”_ **

Mr Vavra was going to punish him? _Yes please._ Niki walked with a skip in his step down towards the lift and all the way across the first floor. He couldn’t help but note that Mr Vavra had booked one of their most luxurious rooms – befitting of his VIP status of course. However, it would surprise him if Madame Director was pulling out all the stops to fast track him into one of these. He winked at the bouncer on duty. He merely rolled his eyes and he let Niki into the suite.

Once inside, Niki spotted what he was meant to be wearing. Each suite had a cloakroom area, for guests to put their coats and shoes. This suite could easily cater for ten, so the area was roomy, with plenty of lockable drawers to tuck away valuables. Draped across two coat hooks however, was a gleaming set of jewellery that had Niki gasping with delight. Considering the lack of any other clothing in here... well, he’d see once he had it all on. Niki stripped off everything he wore and deposited them in a drawer. Then he turned his attention to the first item of jewellery – a body harness made of glittering gold chains, crystal beads and tiny coins inset with gemstones. He fastened the collar about his neck, loving the sensation of the cool metal against his throat, before fastening each chain about his chest. It wasn’t restrictive in the least, but he certainly felt like his body was on show. A matching belt went around his hips – where the waistline of a pair of underwear might sit. Yet the loops of jewellery chain that hung from the belt concealed absolutely nothing, merely framing his hips and thighs in glimmering metal. The garters sparkled with yet more crystal, holding up a luxurious pair of sheer silk stockings. Niki ran one hand up his leg, loving the softness right up to the cool straps that kept it all in place. He had been provided with two hair accessories, each made of linked gold coinage. One served to tie his hair up into a messy bun, the other crested his fringe, adding a golden lustre to his fiery hair.

Niki admired himself, front and back, in the cloakroom mirror. Oh my, how decorated he looked, wearing nothing but stockings and jewels. He looked quite the pampered little pet. Ready to get down on his knees and beg so prettily. And not even a stitch to cover his ass. His Master clearly knew what he wanted and he wasn’t going to obscure it for the world. Did he look like some rich man’s concubine? Yes. Was this a bit slutty even for him? Probably. But did he particularly care? No, not when he knew awaited him the next room. Curse his weakness for handsome business men with large cocks! How did he keeping finding himself in such situations? Niki giggled to himself as he approached the door to the next room.

He slipped inside; silk-covered feet silent on the plush carpet. Suites never failed to impress him in their sheer opulence – a far cry from anywhere designed for staff. You could really tell the theatre was in Orzhov territory when you entered rooms like these. It was level of grandeur that their clients expected, but still, this room alone could pay for his whole flat. It was also bigger than his whole flat. He skirted round a small marble fountain on a raised dais as he tried to locate his customer. The lounge area had its own mini-bar, set into a gleaming gold counter with a marble top. An ice bucket sat empty on the counter-top, showing his client had clearly already been at the champagne it once held. There was a large fur coat draped across one of the leather armchairs, despite there being a cloakroom nearby. Niki considered checking for pockets before reminding himself he wasn’t a thief. Besides, where would he hide anything in this? Ah well, robbing a client would surely ruin his reputation. Not that he hadn’t been tempted before.

Onwards from the lounge was a bedroom to the left and a dining space straight ahead. These suites were designed for parties of up to ten people, so these rooms were suitably large to match. It came as no surprise to Niki that he didn’t hear any signs of his client, until he was right at the dining room door. He peeked through the sliver of light to see a familiar face sat at one end of a vast oval dining table. He looked a little lonely, sat amongst such space by himself, but that wouldn’t be for long.

Niki took a deep breath.

  1. 2\. 1.

Showtime!

He knocked lightly on the door before putting his hands behind his back, bouncing on his tiptoes as he waited for a response. There was an excitable intake of breath, the sound of a glass being put down, before a stern:

“Come in.”

In he went, smiling as if nothing could delight him more than the man before him. He was certainly happy to have this customer above others, but from his expression you would think Ragefest had come early.

“Good afternoon Master,” he greeted in his sweetest tone, bounding across the room to kneel at the man’s feet. Lyov Vavra was sitting with a lopsided and casual grace, elbow on the table, his dessert plate pushed towards the centre. He had a half-filled champagne flute on the table before him and a heavy looking book beside that. However, at the sight of Niki approaching, he closed the book, focusing his attention entirely on the elf he’d paid exorbitant amounts of money for. His dark eyes roved up and down Niki’s barely-clad body as he stared cutely up at him through his fringe. Niki sat perfectly still, waiting for some sort of order or direction. He’d lost count of how many times Mr Vavra had visited him, but he knew how the man liked him – cute and submissive. Niki couldn’t tease this one, which was a little disappointing, but he more than made up for it in bed.

“Good afternoon, Pet,” Lyov Vavra replied, the hand previously on his book now ruffling Niki’s hair, extricating a coin from his curls. So, he was ‘Pet’ today, was he? Good to know.

“Did you miss me?” Lyov continued. Niki nodded the best he could with the man’s fingers in his hair.

“Yes Master.”

“And have you been good, whilst I’ve been away?”

Niki wanted to say ‘no’, because when had he ever been an obedient soul? However, that wasn’t the character he was portraying right now.

“Yes Master,” he said, leaning into the hand upon his head. The hand stilled. Right, _now_ he was going to be in trouble. He couldn’t wait.

“Then, why,” Mr Vavra continued, “Did the housekeeper come to me saying she’d caught you doing something _quite_ against my rules?”

Niki merely blinked up at him. That question seemed rhetorical.

“What _exactly_ did you do?”

Niki could give him hundreds of stories, many of which would be true. However, Mr Vavra didn’t want to be scandalised. He didn’t want a pet who would do anything controversial behind his back. So rather than an exciting story about how he’d fucked his way through his master’s guards (untrue) or a tantalising tale about how he’d seduced his customer’s rival (true, different customer), he had to continue this cutesy act.

“I-I slept in Master’s bed when he wasn’t here.”

Mr Vavra’s features softened just for a moment before he regained his stern composure.

“And why did you do that when you have a perfectly good bed of your own?”

Niki did his best shame-face as he met those deep brown eyes with his own.

“I missed Master so much and-and I got so lonely.”

“Did you really miss me that greatly?”

“Of course Master, it was so dark and empty without you here.”

“So, you slept on my bed.”

Mr Vavra’s resolve was wavering again. Niki couldn’t help but feel proud of just how adorable he could be. Still, he did want whatever Mr Vavra’s punishment entailed. Much more than to be fussed over and petted. If he kept this up for too long, he was going to be treated like glass. Time for a mood-change.

“And-and,” he stammered in his cutest, most demure, tone, “And I touched myself Master.”

Mr Vavra froze in his seat. Niki could see the indecision in his eyes before his lips curled into a smirk. He wanted to smirk himself, but the show had to go on. He felt his ‘master’s’ hand leave his hair, reaching for his chin and tilting his head upwards so he had no choice but to meet his gaze.

“Oh, did you now,” he purred. Niki shivered a little where he sat. Now that was more like it!

“It appears I’ve been quite negligent of you my little pet. But that is no excuse to break the rules I’ve made oh so clear over the years.”

“I know Master,” Niki replied, “I’m-I’m sorry Master.”

The grip on his chin tightened, one elegantly manicured nail pressing between Niki’s lips.

“Are you?”

Good actors knew how to cry on command. Niki was a very good actor.

“Y-Yes Master.”

Mr Vavra’s gaze softened again and he started stroking Niki’s cheek. Oh, come on, Niki thought, punish him already! He knew he was adorable. Just get on with it.

“As I left you alone for so long,” Mr Vavra continued, “I suppose a little blame rests on me. _However_,”

He finally let go of Niki’s face.

“You know the rules, don’t you?”

“Yes Master.”

“And you knew you were breaking them?”

“Y-Yes Master.”

These were all rhetorical questions, but it made him seem more pitiable if he answered them.

“Then you deserve to be punished, don’t you?”

“Yes Master,” Niki begged, “Please punish me Master. I’m so sorry for being bad.”

What was it going to be? He hadn’t been in the bedroom yet. And whilst Mr Vavra wasn’t exactly the kinkiest customer, he could have had a burst of inspiration. He waited as his ‘master’ mused over what his punishment might be. Niki was a good actor. Mr Vavra wasn’t. He could see that the man was just buying time, making him wait, seeing if he could make Niki squirm. Niki continued to look up at him through round tear-filled eyes, until finally Mr Vavra cracked.

“Well, Pet,” he stated, turning in his chair away from the table.

“Bend over my knee like a good little boy.”

Niki had learned not to analyse why he enjoyed what he did. In fact, he’d never really questioned it. However, there was something strangely arousing about being naked and bent over someone’s lap, yet having such power in the situation. Yes, Mr Vavra may be the master. Yet, he looked almost overwhelmed to finally have Niki where he wanted him. He regarded Niki’s body as if surveying a precious piece of art, mesmerised by what lay before him. He made light dainty touches down his spine, toying with strands of golden chain before smoothing over the curve over his ass with just enough pressure for Niki to even feel him there. He pulled him closer, Niki’s torso resting on his thighs, his bare crotch brushing against the fine silk of his robes. Niki shivered at the thrill of such softness against his bare skin as Mr Vavra continued to appraise him. He felt precious. Like he was worth more than all the gold and jewels Mr Vavra had leant him, and twice as beautiful. He was doing nothing but Mr Vavra was utterly hypnotised by him. Tracing the lines of his body with a single finger. Feeling smooth hairless skin with the lightest touch of his palm. Niki shifted his hips just a little, rubbing against the topmost layer of robe. Mr Vavra’s breath stuttered. The hand on Niki’s thigh shook.

“So beautiful Pet,” he murmured, “So pale. So perfect.”

He ran his other hand through Niki’s hair down to stroke his cheek and run his thumb over his bottom lip. Niki’s tongue darted out to meet it, giving it the slightest kitten lick. Mr Vavra gave a contented chuckle.

“Such a shame I’ll have to blemish such perfection,” he continued, “Such a shame that you had to be such a bad pet and break my perfect rules.”

“I was really bad Master,” Niki whimpered in agreement, “Please punish me.”

“Oh, I will.” The hand left Niki’s face and returned to his back, hand splayed as if to hold him still. A mounting tension was building inside Niki. He was definitely getting spanked. Why else would he be bent over like this? However, the fact remained, with every movement of his body, he would rub against his master’s thigh through the robes. The praise and touches had been enough to send blood rushing south. He was going to stain this expensive robe for sure! Now, when was Mr Vavra going to get on with it? He loved the touches, but what was pleasure without a little pain to match?

“Ten, I think it’ll be,” Mr Vavra said, having appraised the entirety of Niki’s ass by now, “And I don’t want to hear anything out of you pet, except the count. Anything but a number and we’ll go right back to the start again. Understand?”

“Yes Master.”

Niki already planned to misbehave, but at the first strike he realised just how hard it would be to stay quiet. The sting from that muscular palm against his cheek, the way his hips jerked, the murmur of “gorgeous” from Mr Vavra – Niki screwed his eyes shut, willing himself not to moan as he gasped:

“One.”

He got to four when it all became too much. Mr Vavra was alternating between cheeks for his strikes – not that it made that much difference with his hands being so large. With every strike came a comment of just how beautiful Niki was, making his body sing with pleasure. As they started over, he raised his ass after every blow, silently begging for the next strike. Each compliment came laced with a thrilling pain, smooth friction against crotch, and all together too much sensation to keep him quiet for long. He moaned loudly at ‘seven’, making Mr Vavra pause and scold him.

“Such a naughty pet. Anyone would think you’re enjoying this.”

“I-I,” Niki managed, “I love having Master’s hands…on me.”

“Of course, you do, but we can’t keep doing this all day Pet. We have far more to indulge in than this.”

Third time was always the charm. Niki’s cheeks were incredibly sore by the time they reached ten. Red and warm to the touch, Mr Vavra admired their hue, making Niki whimper as he ran his hand over the tender flesh.

“Have we learnt our lesson?” he said smugly as he cupped one cheek, making Niki choke out a noise somewhere between a whine and a moan.

“Yes Master!”

“And we’re going to keep our hands off ourself in future?”

“Yes Master!”

“Good boy.” Mr Vavra pet his hair again as if he was a house cat in need of comfort.

“I truly did miss you Pet,” he continued, “I think we need to make up for lost time. On your feet.”

He let go and Niki got up at once, wincing at just how hot his skin felt as he neatly stood with his hands behind his back.

“Go to the bedroom and present yourself,” Mr Vavra ordered, “I want to see that beautiful backside of yours as soon as I enter the room.”

He was after all obsessed with it. Niki would agree his ass was certainly one of his finer features, many men had told him so. However, Mr Vavra seemed unable to keep his hands off it. He got up and gave Niki one more admiring touch before gesturing for him to leave. Niki had a feeling sitting down was going to be a chore after this. However, he merely nodded and hurried into the next room along.

The bedroom in this suite was big enough to house a large family, and all their pets. How many orgies these walls had seen, Niki didn’t know, but would be willing to bet a lot. As it stood, he placed himself in the centre of the rich red bedlinen, taking a moment to feel the damage to his ass, before getting himself into position. He got on his hands and knees, golden chains dangling from his body and twinkling in the soft lighting from the wall sconces. After stretching his legs a little, to ready them for the effort to come, he lowered himself onto his elbows, presenting his ass in the direction of the door. Then, he waited, and tried not to focus on how warm the chains were against his cock. Instead he opted to count mirrors. There were so many mirrors in this room. Above the headboard, on the walls, on the ceiling, on the back of the door. He could see how red he was from every angle. Even if he was facing away, Mr Vavra would certainly see his face as he fucked him.

Niki hadn’t made Mr Vavra a regular for his imagination or his ability to roleplay. He didn’t really choose him for his money either. He had plenty of rich Orzhov men on his waiting list, chomping at the bit to get their turn with him. Mr Vavra however, had already fulfilled half his potential – the admiring touches that made Niki feel like a god amongst men. The careful reverence. The constant stream of praise. Niki loved being worshipped and with Mr Vavra that was guaranteed. However, the other half of his appeal was far…cruder, Niki might say. He didn’t have any measurements but Lyov Vavra might be the second, maybe third, largest man he’d ever taken. And as number one wasn’t currently available, second or third suited Niki just fine. One definite upside about having a partner obsessed with your ass was the fact they revelled in preparing you, and with Mr Vavra he certainly needed that. He liked them large, but he also enjoyed walking for the rest of the week. Madame Director wouldn’t accept ‘fucked out’ as an excuse to skip a show.

Finally, after many minutes of silent waiting, Mr Vavra joined him in the bedroom. He had stripped off his long white robes, revealing him to be in a black silk undershirt and a pair of tight black boxer shorts. His athlete’s physique had not left him over the years, the sight of all that gleaming muscle, barely obscured by thinly stretched black fabric, had Niki twitching beneath the veil of jewellery about his hips. Mr Vavra let out a long slow breath as he stood there, taking in the view, as Niki focussed on the evident bulge in his shorts. He caught Niki’s gaze and smirked, stripping off the shirt but cruelly leaving the underwear in place.

“Look at you,” he purred, “All gorgeous and all _mine.”_

Niki gave a little shiver. Mr Vavra’s voice had deepened with his lust, his gaze turned predatory as he clambered onto the bed, approaching him on all fours until he had his hands on Niki’s hips, pulling his ass flush against the erection straining at his shorts. Mr Vavra thrust lightly against the cleft of his ass, letting Niki feel how hard he was, how much he had let himself in for. Well, how much he was going to let inside him. Niki moved his hips to meet the thrusts, pushing back, applying pressure, until Mr Vavra pulled away with a small moan.

“I missed this,” Mr Vavra murmured, “The sight of you beneath me. The sounds you make for me.”

For anyone handsome, well-endowed and with enough cash, but Niki wasn’t going to break the illusion just yet.

“I need you,” Mr Vavra continued, “To hold you, to fuck you, to taste you.”

It was Niki’s turn to moan. Reverence never failed to turn his brain to jelly. Oh, to be a god amongst gorgeous men!

“I’m all yours Master,” he replied, “To do what you wish.”

“_Yes_.” Mr Vavra cupped Niki’s cheeks, parting them gently to reveal his entrance. Niki did his best not squirm at the soreness, too excited for what would come next.

“Whatever I wish. Whatever I desire.”

What Mr Vavra clearly desired was to taste him. To which Niki had no objections, though it was a little hard to keep your thoughts straight whilst being rimmed. Even more so after Mr Vavra retrieved a bottle of lube from under the bed and began fingering him open. It was the really fancy lube too; he could smell it over the floral scent of the sheets. It came in a purple glass bottle with a brassy stopper, resembling a magic potion more than a simple lubricant. Nothing but the best for their gilded customer. Niki tried to think of what else might in the underbed drawers, however it was all swiftly becoming very difficult to think. Mr Vavra was taking delight in exploring his insides, stretching him out and humming his approval at every moan and whimper that escaped Niki’s lips. Mr Vavra had skilful fingers, though he refused to pay too much attention to where Niki really wanted it. He shifted his hips, moaning louder when that touch skimmed over his prostate. Rewarding Mr Vavra with a cry of ‘Master’ as soon as he got the message. Niki allowed him to take his time, to revel in the experience, but he knew Mr Vavra wouldn’t last forever. He could see in the mirrors that he was achingly hard, his shorts leaving nothing to the imagination. Mr Vavra was shifting where he knelt, the friction must be getting too much for the poor man. Why didn’t he just take them off and give them both what they really wanted?

Niki whimpered loudly as four fingers retreated, leaving him gaping and empty. Mr Vavra gave an affectionate chuckle, gently stroking a hand down Niki’s back before parting his thighs even further with one lube-slick hand. Niki watched him shuffle atop the covers. Peeling off his shorts, Mr Vavra let out a sigh of relief. At the sight of him, Niki felt his knees grow weak, his arms trembling in anticipation of what was to come. More lube out of the fancy bottle, Niki would have coated Mr Vavra’s cock in it himself if he’d just let him. Yet that would only slow down the inevitable. Niki dropped from his elbows, chest against the covers, hands fisted in the sheets. Now. Fuck him now!

“Please Master, I need you!”

Niki braced himself for the feeling of being split open. Yet even when it came, he couldn’t stop the wanton noise that escaped his mouth – a loud and desperate moan that earned him a grunt of approval. He buried his face in the pillows, even as he parted his knees that little bit further. Large hands parted his cheeks so Mr Vavra could watch his cock slowly disappear into Niki’s already much abused hole.

Inch by inch, Niki couldn’t stop the litany of moans and cries as he felt his muscles stretch to fit the seemingly-impossible length inside of him. Clenching his ass, rolling his hips, pushing back against the slow heavy pressure, Niki drooled on the covers as he begged for more, telling his master he could take it. Mr Vavra squeezed at one of his sore cheeks, making his muscles tighten around his master’s cock. The sheer noise he was making – he was moaning like a cheap whore angling for tips. _I’m very expensive,_ Niki reminded himself as he revelled in the feeling of being full. His insides were going to be bruised after this, he just knew it. It was all too much. Too big. Too good. Too full. 

It was perfect.

“Look at you,” Mr Vavra purred, after taking a moment to simply breathe. He clearly was overcome by the tightness around his impressive girth. Niki loved the strain, the sensation of being filled by a man so much larger than himself. Mr Vavra could have tried to break him. Impaled him without care, started thrusting already. But instead, he ran a hand along one of Niki’s trembling thighs, waiting for them both to adjust. Mr Vavra looked absurdly smug that he was finally inside the object of his desires. However, Niki couldn’t even come up with a pithy thought about how it wasn’t much of an achievement. The heady mix of pain and pleasure had frayed his nerves to the point where he could no longer separate one from the other. Mr Vavra’s cock throbbed inside of him as he rolled his hips, seeking out glorious friction.

“Now, now.” Mr Vavra stilled his movements, large hands firm about his hips, “Patience, Pet.”

Niki didn’t want to be patient. Niki wanted Mr Vavra to _move_. He met Mr Vavra’s gaze in the mirror, wide-eyed and trembling as he whimpered:

“Please Master.”

That did it. Mr Vavra must have been at the end of his tether, for as soon as the word ‘master’ crossed Niki’s lips, the grip on his hips tightened considerably. He didn’t even start slow. A low rumbling moan escaped his chest as Mr Vavra began to thrust, hard, fast and deep. Spurred on by Niki’s breathy sounds of pleasure, he pounded him into the mattress. Niki was past thought, past words, he moaned as Mr Vavra took hold of his ass cheeks once more, groping, kneading, as he drove into him again and again. At some point, his thighs gave up on him. Mr Vavra was forced to hold up his hips just to keep fucking him open. Niki came without a single touch to his cock, not a single finger anywhere other than his hips or his ass. His cries turned to whimpers as Mr Vavra thrust through and long past his orgasm. He simply lay there, limp and over-sensitive, as Mr Vavra chased his own release, all restraint long abandoned. It was becoming too much for his nerves to take. Niki closed his eyes as Mr Vavra finally let out a loud grunt - the rush of hot cum inside him a welcome reprieve from the brutal pace bruising his insides. Niki collapsed against covers. His head was foggy as he lay, exhausted and trembling. His thighs were still shaking, the muscles in his ass twitching and sore from over-stimulation. Ready for a long nap, he momentarily forgot why he was here, until a reminder came in the form of something cold against his gaping entrance.

He whimpered as he felt a solid something press into his sore hole and lodge itself there. His rim clenched, tried to release the intruder, but the hard plug kept him stretched wide for future use. Niki whimpered again when he remembered Mr Vavra had booked an entire afternoon slot. The man had put a plug inside him! This…this was only the first round. He’d been stretched so wide that the toy barely felt like anything next to Mr Vavra’s cock, but as Niki rolled over he felt it, hard and unyielding inside of him.

As he bemoaned the state of his ass, he felt two strong arms circle his waist and draw him in close. Hard muscle pressed against his back, as he rested his head against one broad shoulder. Even through his foggy state, Niki relished the embrace. Sex he could have whenever he wanted it. Cuddling? Well, no one ever paid him to cuddle. Which made it all the more wonderful when he got to.

“Niki,” Mr Vavra panted. Niki blinked at the sound of his own name. Oh, they were dropping character. Good. He snuggled back into Mr Vavra’s embrace as one hand reached up to brush away the curls from his face.

“Yes sir?”

“Niki, there’s something I want to talk about.”

Oh? He had come here very urgently. Was Niki going to find out why? He was so tired but he guessed a conversation was something like a break.

“What’s that sir?” he replied.

“I met one of my business partners at a performance of One Last Flight a few weeks ago,” Mr Vavra explained, “A wine merchant by the name of Sophia Levosk. I was unaware any of my associates knew about this place.”

That was why so many theatre-goers wore masks, Niki thought, in case they did run into someone they knew.

“We spoke,” Mr Vavra continued, “And it turns out we have a few things in common. We regularly visit. We each have a favourite performer with which we spent our time. And we afterwards we return to a home filled with correspondence about how we haven’t married yet.”

Niki could see where this was going but why did it have anything to do with him?

“After a few conversations, we came to an agreement. I have no interest in trapping a woman in an unhappy marriage, she has no interest in taking a husband or bearing children. Therefore, we shall wed each other and then follow our separate pleasures. As for children, well, you can buy those.”

You could? Niki didn’t know whether to be disturbed by this. It hadn’t helped the mood at all.

“If we must appear as a couple,” Mr Vavra sighed, “Well, what better ‘date’ venue than the theatre? We can watch a show, then go to our separate pleasures.”

Well, this was getting slightly more relevant to him.

“If you consent, and with the consent of Miss Hetty, Sophia’s favourite, we would like to have our wedding ceremony here in the theatre,” Mr Vavra stated, “Private weddings are all the rage right now. You disappear, spend vast amounts of money and come back dishevelled and inebriated, leaving all to wonder what scandal you’ve been up to. However, in this case, we will marry, and then spend our wedding night with those we’d much rather be bedding.”

Ah, well that explained that then.

“Well, if Miss Hetty consents, then you have yourself a deal sir,” Niki replied sleepily, “Though I’d talk to Madame Director about arranging it all.”

“Oh, we have,” said Mr Vavra, “And she’s quite content.”

Niki felt the hands on his torso travel a little lower to caress his thighs.

“I can’t wait to see you all dolled up in white lace,” Mr Vavra murmured. He shifted on the covers for ease of exploring Niki’s much smaller frame. His touch was soft but Niki couldn’t help but feel the hardness now pressing against his hip. How had he got aroused again so soon? A man of his size, surely that was impossible? Yet he could feel it. Mr Vavra was erect and now very interesting in picking up where they'd left off. 

“I can feel you sir,” Niki said, canting his hips back just a little. He couldn’t go for another round just yet, which made it even more remarkable that Mr Vavra could.

“Can you now?” Mr Vavra retorted, “How does it feel?”

“Large,” Niki replied, “So big and hard sir… remarkable so soon after.”

Mr Vavra chuckled.

“Well, I have to make the most of our time together,” he laughed, “So I may have acquired one of those delightful little yellow pills from reception,”

Niki froze, even as Mr Vavra began to rub his hardness against the plug still nestled between his cheeks.

Yellow pills.

Yellow pills from reception.

The pills that guaranteed to give you an erection for hours on end. Even when your erection was the second, if not third, largest Niki had ever experienced. Even when your partner was very small and was still reeling from taking your cock the first time... 

Oh gods.

Oh Gods, please pray for his ass. They had survived a lot together over the last twenty-something years. Please don’t fail him now!

Many hours later, Niki lay face down, naked on top of the sheets, but covered in a soft fleece robe. A pillow had been tucked under his head, and his body was remarkably free of sweat, cum and lube. A bowl of lukewarm water remained on one of the bedside cabinets. Mr Vavra had been kind enough to clean him up after utterly ploughing him into the bed at least twice more. His memory got a bit hazy after the moment he was flipped on his back and plugged for a third time. It had felt amazing whilst it was happening, and Niki was sure Mr Vavra had earned his place as one of his top customers from that fucking alone. Yet now Niki had run into a problem. Namely, the fact he was utterly unable to move. Whenever he tried, his ass would scream at him in pain, and his legs would simplerefuse to do anything. The pain was also enough to keep him from sleeping, but not enough to stir the rest of him into an action. Which was becoming a bigger problem with every passing second.

Especially, because of the heavy footsteps in the living room.

“Niki, you in there?”

Niki groaned into the pillow. Well, at least it was someone who’d already seen him naked.

“_Ms Beth_,” he whined, “I’m tired.”

There was a snort of laughter from the other side of the door.

Niki tried to move but pain flared at the base of his spine and his legs didn’t budge. He let out another groan.

“It’s time to leave, there’s a party in here later and the cleaning crew need to get in,” Beth informed him, “Up and moving, come on.”

“Nooo,” Niki whimpered, “Ms Beth, I can’t move.”

She chuckled.

“_I’ve been tied to the bed_ I can’t move?” she asked, “Or _I regret being such a Size Queen_ I can’t move?”

“You’re mean Ms Beth,” he informed her, “So mean.”

“Madame Director’s here with me.”

Niki didn’t miss a beat.

“Madame Director, Beth is being mean to meee!”

Familiar deep laughter came from behind the door. Dear gods, she really was there. He was fairly sure Madame Director hadn’t seen him naked before and he didn’t want to change that.

“Beth, please remove his Majesty from the room,” Madame Director ordered, “Niki, are you clothed?”

“Got a robe,” Niki managed, “I think my clothes are still in the cloakroom.”

“Excellent.” Madame Director sounded closer, her voice picking up in volume.

“I am namely here Niki to thank you for securing such a lucrative contract with the Vavra and Levosk houses. The Chalice has performed very few weddings, and those we have performed, were quiet affairs, elopements and such. This will be decadent, and most importantly, expensive. If you didn’t have Lyov Vavra quite so wrapped around your finger, we surely would never have received such a large commission.”

“Always happy to help Madame Director,” Niki replied, his voice laced with a whimper.

“Also, Niki,” she continued, “You will be escorted back to your dressing room. I will let reception know we will be providing a taxi to take you home. Do not come back in until you can at least perform a cartwheel.”

“Yes, Madame Director.” He was meant to be on wait duty tomorrow, thank the gods for small mercies!

“Though I will remind you, we are fully booked for this Saturday’s performance of One Last Flight. It would be a shame if Gigi had to step in for you.”

“I’ll be better by then Madame Director!” he exclaimed, his voice cracking. He tried to push himself out of sheer determination to deny Gigi his starring role. He managed to turn over, once, twice, three times before promptly falling off the side of the bed with a thud.

“Are you alright?” Beth called.

Niki let out a noise somewhere between an ‘ow’ and an ‘ok’.

“Please get him to his dressing room,” Madame Director sighed, “And once again, thank you Niki. Try not to wind Beth up too much on the way out.”

Niki made no promises.


	5. A Hard-Sought Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niki can't sleep and wonders why.

There was some sort of procession going on outside. The creak of carriage wheels was barely audible over the pounding of rain on glass. Niki wrapped himself up a little tighter as he watched the parade of cloaked figures pass by. They thronged around three ornate carriages with their hooded lanterns, seemingly unaffected by what was swiftly turning into a storm. This was the sort of thing you came to expect when living so close to the Orzhov, but it didn’t make the sight any less strange. Lightning scattered through the sky, momentarily illuminating the streets below in a dazzling purple. Yet on went the procession, disappearing around the corner and out of sight. Niki sighed as he surveyed the now-empty road. The gutters were already overflowing with the downpour, creating parallel rivers down the street, rushing towards the grates at the corner. Across the road, a wooden sign knocked against its hinges, buffeted by the winds that shook the window pane Niki leant on. It was a locksmith across the road, Niki was fairly sure. He’d never been in there. He’d never needed to. His home was tiny but secure.

Closing the curtains, Niki settled back on his bed, bringing his bundle of blankets with him. As the nights had got colder, he’d slowly accumulated himself a nest of soft furnishings. Blankets and throws, cushions and soft toys, he had bundled himself up head to toe and now lay surrounded by soft fabric on all sides. Yet even as he felt sleep tugging at his eyelids, he knew there was something missing. It had plagued him for several nights now, keeping him awake and restless. Something was missing. Something was wrong. He was missing the last piece, what he truly desired for a good night’s sleep. For the life of him, he couldn’t work out what that was. He’d done everything he needed to do. He had dinner, cleaned the kitchen, quickly showered, and put on his favourite set of pyjamas. (The grey fleece ones with the pompom rabbit tail and the hood with ears.) His room was spotlessly tidy. The heating was on when he wanted it. His bed was cozy and warm. So what was wrong? Why couldn’t he sleep? And what was it about trying to sleep that was making him so undeniably sad?

Niki seized the largest soft toy on the bed – a teddy bear with the Orzhov sun embroidered onto its paws, and hugged it close. The toy was soft to the touch but had no heat of its own. Maybe he should buy a hot water bottle. Or better yet, find someone who would want to snuggle with him at night. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? To share body heat with someone who would wrap you in his arms and hold you tight through dream and nightmare? To lay your face beside his on the pillow, listen to the soft sounds of him drift off as you did so too? Lay sleepy kisses on his brow, perhaps receive a goodnight kiss in return. Fall asleep knowing there would be someone there when you awoke. That someone would always be there, because they cared enough to hold you through the night.

Niki closed his eyes and couldn’t help but picture it. Making dinner for two in a flat twice the size of his own. If he was going to dream this big, he might as well go all the way. In this fantasy, he had a living room with a sofa in it. They’d curl up on the sofa together and he’d lean his head on his partner’s shoulder. They’d talk about their days – how it’d got so much better now they were back home and together. They’d complain about work and the people they met on the commute. Compare colleagues and plan for their days off. After dinner, they’d wash up together, dance around each other as their mood shifted from weary to playful. Niki would act coy and adorable but his partner would see right through it. They’d mess about and maybe smack each other with tea towels, just like in the romance novels at the library. They’d relax together, play games, talk about the places they wanted to go, the people they’d like to see. _More than me_? One of them would tease. _Never more than you,_ the other would reply.

Their bed would have plenty of space for them both. However, that wouldn’t stop them cuddling warm and close. Niki liked being little spoon but he’d more than happily wrap himself round the man who cared about him. When was the last time someone had held him without expecting sex before or after? Come to think of it, when was the last time someone had kissed him under any circumstance? Or done anything that wasn’t strictly about their pleasure? Of course, he’d be more than happy to sleep with this amazing fantasy partner of his but… Was it too much to ask just for hug every now and again? In the real world? Platonic was fine. Anything was fine. When was the last time anyone had hugged him?

He couldn’t remember.

Niki’s mood sank. He gripped the plush tighter as he willed himself to fall asleep. Elves didn’t have to sleep, not if they didn’t want to. Four hours of meditation usually did the trick – a trance, some called it. However, Niki’s trances were filled with terrible dreams, echoes of his own childhood when his trances had been disturbed. So, he just wanted to sleep. It would be wonderful just to feel nothing for a bit. Until he had to work out what to do with himself tomorrow. He tried to occupy that warm happy place – his fantasy home with his fantasy partner. Yet even as he managed to drift off, his imagination wasn’t content with simple domestic bliss. It had to take him a step further, it had to ruin the ease at which he played pretend.

This time his partner had a name and a face. The last twenty years had treated him kindly. Still gorgeous, a muscular god of a man, with a smile that made Niki swoon. But in this dream, he was his. Niki would sit on his lap as Dorian described to him a spectacular show he’d directed for the Great Defiler. They’d catch up in the precious moments between shows, sneaking in fifteen minutes here or there, each wearing full stage makeup and half a costume as they chatted over brunch. Yes ,they’d have to be apart for work. But that would make it all the sweeter when they reunited. Perhaps Dorian would sneak into one of his shows, try to catch him off guard by sitting right at the front of the audience. Niki would get him back by coating his nails in glitter so the next time Dorian went back to Rix Maadi, his troop would ask why all the nail marks on his back were sparkling. And if Dorian objected to that… well, Niki knew the perfect way to make him speechless. He’d done it before! And on other nights, Niki would curl up beside him, as Dorian pretended not to be reading his library books over his shoulder. _Why are you reading those trashy love stories?_ He would ask. _“Do you need those anymore?”_ And Niki would realise he didn’t. He’d throw the book aside and kiss the man of his dreams.

Dorian had kissed him.

Dorian had held him.

Dorian had tickled him, complimented him, put his arms round him just because he wanted to. He enjoyed it. Dorian enjoyed foreplay. Dorian had given Niki pleasure before receiving any himself. Dorian had liked him, not some character on a stage, not a version of Niki he put on display for customers. Him. All for him. On the best night of his life.

And then Dorian had tried to murder him.

Small details.

Niki opened his eyes to see shadows passing over the ceiling. Another procession? Or just the shadows of the books and toys scattered about his room? He sighed and rolled over, scattering plush animals across the rug beneath him. He wanted to go to work but Madame Director made him take at least one day off a week. He wasn’t allowed back in the building for twenty four hours and he hated it. Roxy would be awake, but working no doubt. The best Rakdos artists worked by night. And Mr Kay? Asleep or working too. The fact remained - Niki was lonely. There was nothing wrong with his bed, his blanket pile or even his room. They were fine. _He_ was the problem. On more than one occasion, he’d considered going to a bar or club with the goal of ending up in someone else’s bed. But he slept with strangers for work. He wasn’t doing that on his day off. He could go find another theatre, scope out the competition? But who wanted to go to a show alone? Niki disentangled himself from his blanket cocoon and reached down the side of the bed for a book. Ah yes,_ The Further Misadventures of Dick Gamble_ – no one could deny that the Rakdos authored masterpieces. They should totally perform this as a play. Niki didn’t want to be Dick mind you. No Dick’s best friend Simon got the best lines, and the best adventures. He would make an excellent Simon.

Slowly but surely, the raunchy adventures of fictional men lulled Niki back to sleep. This time he dreamt of costuming, of sets, of make up, of how good a Simon he would be. Once again he lost himself to fame, to stage lights, to fantasy. Whatever worked, he thought the next day.

Whatever worked.


	6. Caught in the Act

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niki considers the most significant moments in his unexpected acting career. 
> 
> Warnings for implied dubious consent

It was simple really. When Niki had auditioned at The Chalice Theatre, he’d never intended to become an actor. He’d been a gymnast since he was able to walk. An acrobat since he’d been old enough to know when to let go. Had he understood everything about The Chalice when he signed up? No. Did he even know the difference between a Debauchery Club and Diversion Club? Nope. He hadn’t known that the Chalice wasn’t really a theatre. Well, it contained a theatre, offering dinner and show, but that was only one course in a whole buffet of pleasures. He’d seen a poster saying the place wanted performers and he’d followed an ominous trail of fliers to the subtle office block looking building. The rest, he thought, was history. 

Niki wasn’t one for self-reflection, but even he knew that he wasn’t the same elf who’d walked out into his audition dressed in a dead person’s tights. A few months after his daring escape, he had been determined to assert himself. A little impetuous perhaps, adolescent and naïve almost certainly. But, after decades of being what his parents wanted him to be, Niki had been far too fixated with the idea of being true to the ‘real’ him. However, reality was what you made of it. No one came to a Debauchery Club to remember what was ‘real’. If you were going to give up hundreds of zinos for a single night’s entertainment, you wanted the best escapist fantasy money could buy. Every Chalice performer, bouncer, admin, was there to supply that flight of fancy. Being ‘real’ had nothing to do with what went on here.

He’d started as an acrobat. Like every newbie at the Chalice, he began with training and two jobs – Wait Duty and circus performances. The Chalice was far too high class to contain the terror and gorefests contained in many Rakdos circuses. However, they were a useful way for new customers to dip their toes into the proverbial pool. Wealthy young people would come and spend Mummy and Daddy’s money on champagne and a trip to the circus that didn’t involve interacting with the lower classes. Once they were hooked on the flashes of firelight and the beauty of the performers, they would come back time and time again. Each occasion, they would try something a little bit more risqué – stand-up, maybe a private dance, and become addicted to the thrill of the taboo. Niki had seen it happen hundreds, if not thousands of times. Even helped speed a few descents up. In the early weeks, Niki’s time had been split between training, waiting and entrancing the uninitiated. The circus however, had another purpose. It was a constant test, set by Madame Director, to suss out the key talents of her performers. Niki was already a formally trained acrobat, there was little she needed to teach him except routines. So, she pushed him. She gave him solo dances. She made him sing. Niki rose to the challenge, unintimidated. This was nothing new, just with less clothing and raunchier lyrics.

So, she made him act.

Niki had never acted until she insisted he take the part of The Provocateur. The Circus show at the Chalice often ran a storyline between and throughout their acts, to add a level of cohesion to the variety show. They rotated between five different plots. One involved the Ringmaster being slowly seduced by The Provocateur – a dancer with aspirations to the Ringmaster’s job. Like in all things, Niki threw himself into the challenge, but for the first time, he approached the stage with a tangible anxiety. His fear however was needless. The fact he later then made out backstage with the actor playing the Ringmaster was beside the point. (The guy died three weeks later.) After only two months, rather the customary six, Madame Director moved him from the circus newbies into her main troop of performers.

This boosted his confidence no end. His parts were small, only a few lines to each one, yet even being part of the ensemble was thrilling in its own way. It was during this time that Niki realised what power he had over his audience. That acting didn’t need to be confined to a space with stage lighting. Wait duty was never thrilling, but he swiftly found a way to up his tips and have customers begging for his company. At first, he watched and learned from the veterans of the trade. He picked up their coquettish phrasing, their subtle changes in body language, and then applied it to his own brand of appeal. This timed itself nicely with the end of his probation – the period in which Madame Director had Beth watching over his every movement. He was now free to seduce any man who took his fancy and take him upstairs for a private showing. Of course, Madame Director noticed the sudden surge in money he was making for the theatre. The club got a cut out of any private performances and sex work he did. He gained his first few repeat customers. And his first instance of blowing someone during a show. Some of the veterans considered this a ‘step too far’, however it was perfectly legal and hey, Niki had always been small enough to fit under a table. In their eyes, he went from being a surprising newbie, to a gold-digging minx. Niki, who had rent to pay and a home to save up for, didn’t care. They were only jealous because he was distracting their regulars. Could they really blame him for the fickleness of others? He didn’t think so.

Then, after almost two years of small stage roles, Lord Rakdos happened.

Suddenly he was the talk of the theatre. Madame Director herself took him away from his usual tutors and began to teach him the tricks of the trade, in addition to most trying magic lessons. Finally, after a few seasons where he enjoyed the parts of speaking side-characters, or singing narrators, he got his big break. The Chalice Theatre, despite being a Debauchery Club with a literal hell pit in its basement, prided itself on its theatrical prestige. Madame Director considered her theatre, and its performers, paragons of the arts. It was therefore of no surprise when she chose to put on a production so artistic and complicated that it hadn’t been performed in the Tenth for over twenty years.

The show was called Locks, Keys and Latches – the story of a faerie chasing after their friends through many buildings and experiencing a series of interlocking character-driven stories. The main challenge of the production was scale. Of course, both the faerie characters, and the humans they witnessed, would be played by human-sized actors. So, when the faeries had their scenes, the set would have to be scaled up. When the humans had their scenes, the sets would have to be normal sized. There were also the multiple endings. Locks, Key and Latches had five potential endings based on audience participation, each corresponding to the motivations of a different faerie. The audience could decide the ending in two fashions, dictated by the original playwright. In the lobby, there would be four coloured glass jars and a pot of fake keys. A sign, with a poem on it, eluded to the fact that the coloured jar with the most keys in would dictate the ending. The colours of the jars, corresponded to four of the faerie characters. What the poem failed to explain was the fifth ending. The pot the keys came in was a blue wooden crate. If more keys remained in the crate than in the jars, then the Blue ending happened. Only seasoned theatre fans and experts, or those who had seen the production more than once, would even know about this. The same went for the other method. Those who sat in the boxes – the private viewing areas with their own bar service, each had a lantern and four coloured candles. Which candle they lit, was a vote for an ending. If they did not put a candle in the blue lantern at all, it was a vote for blue. Once again, not explained at all. Therefore, the blue ending was seen as a rare treasure, a once in a lifetime experience for those who got to witness it. It was certainly a marvel, with a unique song and a beautiful solo dance fraught with danger as the hero leapt through broken glass. But why did Niki care?

Well, Niki was given the part of Faerie Blue. The hero of the story. The faerie who chased their friends through all said Locks, Keys and Latches. Each ending had a different horrible fate happen to Faerie Blue, as the other four Faeries enacted their wicked wills on their gullible ‘friend’. If the audience voted blue however, the ending was happy and he would give the performance of his lifetime. Throughout rehearsals, Niki thought the blue ending would never happen. Not enough people would know how to get it. People rarely read their pamphlets. Surely there weren’t enough fans of the play to ever get such a reaction?

He was wrong.

Each ending was performed at least a dozen times, but Niki underestimated the prestige of the play. And the fame he would gain through performing in it. He had never received so much positive attention in his life and he couldn’t help but revel in it. He signed pamphlets. He was given extra bows. People sent him flowers and tokens of admiration. After only a few performances, he was introduced to the fact that some men simply wanted to fuck the characters they saw on stage. The faerie costume covered very little – skin tight silks with a petal like skirt that covered his crotch but certainly not his ass. Faerie Blue was an object of desire even within the play. There were plenty of instances where he had to bend just so, to show off his better assets to the front row or other characters. It was hardly surprising then that most of the men who wanted to sleep with him were obsessed with his backside.

It was due to these men that Niki truly learned to act. At first, no one wanted to screw  _ him _ . They wanted to sleep with Faerie Blue. They wanted the sexy faerie on his knees or tied up and bent over. Despite his flirting prowess and the number of blow jobs he’d given, Niki hadn’t actually gone ‘all the way’ with a customer yet. However, when he saw the money being offered, he knew it to be the surest way to the deposit on a flat. So, he acted his heart out – on and off stage. The costume department created a version of the Faerie Blue outfit for the sole purpose of sex. Making the wings flutter with movement, making sure his makeup wouldn’t come off no matter what happened to his face. The ‘real’ self he’d tried to be twenty four seven was bold and chatty. However, that wasn’t Faerie Blue. He taught himself how to blush and cry on command. He learned how to act as small and fragile as possible, turning himself into the sort of doll his parents certainly wouldn’t have wanted. He gasped and whimpered, protested that he was only a little faerie and couldn’t possibly couldn’t take his clients large (actually quite average) cock. He changed straight from performances into his other costume, entertaining two, three, sometimes four, clients in a night. Threesomes weren’t unusual. He had so many offers he could choose the most attractive men out of those he could see in the bar.

It was fun. Niki couldn’t deny it. Despite being the one crying and often tied up, the effect he had over these men thrilled him like nothing else. They were enraptured by him. They called him such wonderful things. He was beautiful. He was gorgeous. He was unlike anything they’d ever seen. He was addicted to their praise as they were to his cries. Sure, he wasn’t behaving like himself. He wasn’t being his ‘true’ self. But who cared? He was being complimented! And was there anything better than that?

Niki expected his customers to move on, forget about him once Locks, Keys and Latches was over. Many did, but once they were gone it became easier to notice the truly loyal. Men who had fucked him as Faerie Blue showed up at other shows, often when he was waiting. They put in requests for him at reception. Not just for Faerie Blue either, for him. For the name they’d found no doubt on their pamphlets. After being Faerie Blue, Niki had sussed out what they liked. So, he simply kept up the act. He arrived as Niki, introduced himself as such, but still blushed and simpered whenever required. He knew his appeal to these men. He was small. He was pretty. He was an elf – a rarity in a Rakdos club. Despite his physique, he could look tiny and vulnerable, only emphasised by his body language, by his acting. He always called his clients ‘Mr’ or ‘Sir’ or by their own title, placing the power, the role of authority in their hands. He maintained his reputation as a pretty little plaything. Submissive on the outside, scheming and demanding on the inside. Oh, he enjoyed the sex most of the time. But he enjoyed it more when he got his customer doing what  _ he _ wanted, under the guise of it being the customer’s idea. To beg just so, that the men were putty in his hands. The adoration was worthy of any pain, humiliation, or uncomfortable situations, he experienced along the way. He could easily forget about those once the wounds healed and the cruel words were replaced by those he preferred. Were compliments meant to be this addictive? How should he know? It wasn’t as if he’d had many before this.

The success of Locks, Keys and Latches, the sheer amount of revenue he was bringing in from private room bookings, the customers who signed up to VIP club memberships just to spend time with him… Needless to say, Madame Director was happy with him. The big roles just kept on coming and finally Niki felt sure in calling himself an actor. Different plays brought in different customers. Different experiences brought in different regulars. Niki’s acting talent leant it very well to roleplay. Over the years, he was everything from a prisoner, to a sexy witch to a scorned ex-lover. Upstairs in the private suites, or downstairs in the rooms accompanying the dungeon, he didn’t care. It was all money. It was all praise. It all suited him just fine.

“So you’ve moved comfortably,” Madame Director told him one day, “You’ve got your flat, your furniture, is this it? The end of throwing yourself at anyone who calls you beautiful?”

Niki pouted at her. It was ineffective. He’d learnt, somewhere between the stage and the private suites, that acting didn’t have to necessarily be for customers. The fact remained, that even bundled up in his casual clothes, he was cute. If he pouted and fussed in an endearing manner, emphasised his own eccentricities, then people tended to do as he said. Either because he was adorable or so annoying they wanted rid of him.

“I’m not throwing myself at them,” he protested instead, “I’m just accepting offers from the people like.”

Madame Director’s mask flickered into a look of mild irritation. However, her eyes were full of concern.

“So why do the cleaning teams keep finding blood in the rooms you’ve been in?”

Ah, thought Niki. However, he merely blinked innocently at her.

Madame Director sighed.

“I’m not going to mince this Niki. I’m banning most of your regulars from the theatre.”

Niki sat up in his chair.

“What, why?”

“Because they’re hurting you. Because of the language they are using. Because of the terror they’re inspiring in my bouncers.”

“They’re not saying those things to me!” Niki protested, knowing exactly what she was talking about, “They’re saying it to the person they see before them, the person I’m pretending to be, it’s an act!”

“Then who are they hurting?” Madame Director replied, “Whose blood did Beth just see on the wall of Suite Three?”

Niki reflexively ran a hand over his arm.

“It’s not a big deal,” he mumbled, “They say nice things too.”

“And that makes it worth it?” Madame Director folded her arms. She had yet to raise her voice but Niki felt like she was on the verge of doing so. Especially after he nodded.

“Niki.” She put one hand on her desk with a loud thud, making him jump.

“Do you want to be hurt?”

“No.”

“Did you give these men permission to hurt you?”

“No…”

“Did you put on your consent sheet that you’d allow them to hurt you.”

“No, Madame Director.”

“Then they disobeyed club rules and will be banned,” Madame Director concluded, “As for you, I’m putting you back on probation.”

“What?!” Niki yelped. He didn’t want to be watched by Beth when he was seducing customers!

“It’s for your own safety,” Madame Director explained, “You are being a danger to yourself. Your need for positive reinforcement is overruling any common sense you may have concerning these men. You are putting your life in danger just for compliments. Even if the person you present them is just an act, they don’t know the difference. According to them you  _ are _ the timid, vulnerable, underage elf that you are portraying. These men are seeing you because they want to prey on the vulnerable, because they want to sleep with teenagers. I don’t want those sorts of men in my establishment! This is like your encounter with the Bloodwitch all over again!”

She’d hit a sore spot.

“I wanted everything Lord Dorian did!” Niki protested, “He’s not like them! I enjoyed everything with him until…until the morning. I don’t like a lot of things that-“

He realised that he’d ruined his own defence entirely. Madame Director folded her arms, triumphant.

“So, you admit it,” she continued, “Niki. Listen to me. If not as a mentor, then as your boss.”

He nodded, lowering his gaze to his feet.

“You are a good actor, I won’t deny that,” Madame Director stated, “However, acting is for the stage  _ only _ . When you are on my stage, I will never put you in harm's way. It can be dangerous, but we negate that danger with training and experience. The reason I only allow our performers to take clients within our walls is this. The private rental rooms are also my stage. I will never allow my performers to be put in harm's way there either. That is why we have bouncers. That is why we have consent forms. Do you understand?”

“Yes Madame Director.”

“Once you are in danger. Once the script, or the form, has been ignored, you are no longer on stage. You no longer need to act even if you are being watched. You do not need to pretend everything is fine when it is not. You do not need to perform happiness when you are hurt. Taking on clients is voluntary. Seeing clients again is voluntary. There will always be more clients if you want them, better clients, who won’t make you hurt in exchange for affection. I understand that you want praise more than anything. However, this is not the way to go about it. There is no need to put yourself in such danger to find it. In fact, I forbid it. Keep your acting to the stage. Keep yourself safe or I will take you off stage permanently for your own good.”

Niki left her office feeling numb that day. He went home to his brand new flat, curled up on his brand new bed, and cried. It was the first time Madame Director had scolded him that badly. Yet, that wasn’t what made him curl up and weep. What made him sob into his pillow was not the fact that she was cross with him, but the fact she was  _ right _ . He’d justified all the pain and humiliation he’d felt by pretending that it was directed at someone who wasn’t him. That if he was just acting, the customer didn’t mean anything by it. He’d pretended that, it was ok if they hurt him, if they also called him beautiful whilst doing so. He’d acted his way through terror and agony, but that didn’t make those feelings any less real. He just wanted people to like him. Pleasure rarely came without pain. For every joy he experienced there had to be a cost. Like a broken arm after a banquet hall performance. Like attempted murder following the best night of his life… But now Madame Director had said there didn’t have to be pain. In fact, there shouldn’t be pain. It was so much to get his head around, coupled with the shame of letting it happen, that Niki didn’t know what to do with it all.

The next day Madame Director gave him ‘Vetting Customers 101’. She bought him a deluxe hot chocolate with cream, marshmallows and a chocolate wafer before using it to lure him back into her office to make a checklist. It was a set of bullet points that he could think over when during, before and after seeing a customer. If the client failed to fulfil the checklist, then he was to get out of there immediately, no matter how many compliments the man gave him. His twenty three pre-existing regulars had dwindled to just three. Mr Glynn – who was good and pure and had never done anything wrong in his life. Officer Neil – Roxy’s brother, who had very little intelligence but made up for it where it mattered. And Lyov Vavra – an Orzhov merchant prince with a concept of aftercare.

Madame also gave him his next big role, leaving him so busy with rehearsals he barely had any time to go flirting with the wrong people. Last, but certainly not least, he made him a promise. If he swore to look after himself, if he promised her that he wouldn’t hurt himself for the sake of praise, she would personally throw him a coming of age party. Elves officially came of age at one hundred. Niki, at eighty nine, had a few years to go but the motivation worked wonders. Every time he wondered whether to call a bouncer, he thought of the party he would receive because of it and instantly felt better about the situation. It became easier to know when and where he should be acting. However, that didn’t stop him using his appeal around his colleagues. Madame Director hadn’t said anything about wheedling sweets and favours from his co-stars with cute looks and pouting. At first, he thought it all an act, something he’d used occasionally to get what he wanted. Yet the more it worked, the more it became expected of him, the more natural it became. Niki had once called himself a sensible professional. A formally trained acrobat who only acted up when absolutely necessary. However, being mischievous was fun. Getting what he wanted with puppy-dog-eyes and casual flirting was fun. And besides, it wasn’t like he was the only one who chatted up his fellow actors. What started as an act swiftly became something he just did. He was Niki. He was fickle and flighty, and latched onto anyone who paid him enough attention. He stole sweets from the kitchens and pouted at anyone gullible enough to fall for it. For once in his life, he felt like he was in control and even Madame Director wasn’t getting in his way.

He even got his birthday party. Madame Director reserved the largest suite, filled it with balloons and bunting and let everyone Niki invited raid the costume department for fancy dress. Most of his invitees didn’t even know he’d been underage. But they appreciated the free booze and plentiful food. He finally got to take Roxy into work with him and she was thoroughly won over by the opulence of the place. He fell asleep in one of the adjoining bedrooms around midnight, covered in confetti and cuddling a stuffed toy fashioned in the likeness of Lord Rakdos. The next morning he expected some sort of repercussion. Some sort of terrible event, an accident, a painful meeting, anything horrible to make up for the joy he’d experienced last night. Yet nothing of the sort occurred. Just a bit of a hangover and a craving for something savoury.

None of Niki’s roles on stage had ever quite lived up to the attention he’d got as Faerie Blue. However, his time in One Last Flight came a very close second. Fifteen years after Locks, Keys and Latches, Madame Director finally let him hog the limelight once more. She gave him the role of Caramella – the heroine of this satirical romance. One Last Flight was the story of a Boros Firemane Angel falling in love with a Rakdos Ringmaster. It wasn’t a musical, but featured a number of songs sung by the ensemble cast, each comparing a harsh parody of life in the Boros Legion with an idealised one in the Rakdos. It had a huge cast and some magnificent set pieces, but what really drew people in was the fact this play was always performed in drag. However a performer usually presented, they would not be given a part that was the same. Every Firemane Angel, of which were over twenty and a version of Aurelia, was played by a man. As was the Ringmaster, a fiery diva by the name of Barbs Strongpole, who was being played by another of the Chalice’s leading actors: A particularly beefy man named Kris. The romance between Barbs and Caramella was played completely seriously, in fact every scene was played with the utmost formality despite the ridiculous nature of everyone’s names and actions. Niki enjoyed being Caramella immensely. He enjoyed the big mechanical wings, the lace underwear, and being able to climb Kris like a tree. Most of all he liked being centre stage once more. Addressing the audience and hearing them respond to him and only him. It turned out Caramella had a very similar effect on the audience as Faerie Blue. People wanted to fuck him in his skimpy angel costume. They wanted to see under those Boros insignia panties. Once again, they made him a version he could have sex in (without the wings), but he had learned since last time. Caramella wasn’t a fainting violet like Faerie Blue, she was a bold angel who knew what she wanted. Less ‘oh no you can’t touch me there’ and more ‘aren’t you going to give me a show big boy?’ However, that didn’t mean his new customers couldn’t be creeps. He made a show of vetting them thoroughly. Even wrote out the old checklist to show who he did and didn’t want. He made so much of a fuss about it that Madame Director eventually gave in and complimented him on his thoroughness. 

And then came the critics.

Niki was aware that theatre critics existed – how else would they get those quotes on the back of their pamphlets? However he’d never met one in all the time he’d been here. Near the end of One Last Flight’s first season, he received a letter in the post. At first he thought it was a joke. A prank pulled on him by a colleague after he’d irritated them too many times. However, when he showed the very shiny invitation to Madame Director, she leapt to her feet in delight.

“A Golden Horn! Thank the Defiler, it’s been years!”

Not just one Golden Horn either. Niki had been nominated for one, whilst the production of One Last Flight was up for three. Niki was up for Best Actor whilst the entire cast could enjoy Best Production, Best Costuming or Best Non-Musical Soundtrack. The Rakdos only Theatre Awards had Madame Director forcing the cast into formal attire and commissioning a fleet of carriages to take them to the venue. Niki much preferred Caramella’s embroidered panties to the stiff tailcoat she put him in but he wasn’t allowed to complain.

Especially because he won the thing.

The Golden Horn awards were very literal. The trophy was shaped like a single curled demon horn. It now lived on his bedside table, and occasionally fell over in the night making him feel like he was having a heart attack. However, there was nothing like having a chunky metal reminder waiting for you at home on a day when you doubted yourself. One Last Flight was so popular, Madame Director brought it back two years later. The same main cast, Kris and Niki reprising their original roles despite the slight falling out they’d had a few months back. Yet, every time Kris made a jab about his ease at wandering around in knickers, Niki just had to remind him who exactly was the Best Actor here, and that generally shut him up pretty fast.

These days, Niki liked to introduce himself as an actor. Of course, he was many other things – an acrobat, a dancer, a singer, a musician, a sex worker, a fool for hot men who were nice to him. However, first and foremost, he was an actor. He had the theatre posters, the mementos, the fans, and even a nice shiny award to prove it. Did he anticipate being anything but an acrobat twenty years ago? No, not really. But life was full of surprises and he was ready to take on whatever it brought him next. 


End file.
